Monday, December 12, 2011

"Happy Holidays," Another Kind of Peace Sign

I love my friends who “want to put Christ back in Christmas,” and I
honor their viewpoint. I grew up with strong Catholic roots, and I love
celebrating the birthday of Jesus. But I don’t think saying “Merry
Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” necessarily does the trick of
what’s at the heart of that Christ in Christmas expression—making people
act more Christ-like or more aware of the religious roots of the
season.

In fact, it can have the exact opposite effect. I am rarely this blunt,
but I have to say it. In certain contexts, “Merry Christmas” is rude. It
alienates Jews, Muslims, and practitioners of a variety of other
religions or beliefs other than Christian. In a not so subtle way, it
imposes your viewpoint on other people by just assuming they share it.
“Happy Holidays” acknowledges the vast number of faiths that exist and
respects a person’s right not to believe at all. It says, “Whatever you
celebrate or don’t, I wish you well during this time of year where
there’s a surge in generosity of spirit.”

Let’s put this in perspective. No one wants to inhibit your freedom to
say Merry Christmas at church, among fellow Christians at home or in any
other setting, except those that are more public where people of all
faiths converge. If you know someone is Christian, “Merry Christmas” the
right thing to say. “Happy Chanukah” is the appropriate greeting for
someone who’s Jewish. Happy Solstice is a good bet for your favorite
agnostic.

But out and about, where you might not know someone’s spirituality or
lack thereof—that’s another story. Here’s an empathy experiment. Imagine
you’re Christian and you just landed on a planet where Christianity is
not the norm. It’s a festive time of year and people are shouting (pick
one) Happy Chanukah, Allah Be Praised, or Atheists Rock! No one
acknowledges your beliefs, and you feel like a lonely petunia in an
onion patch. If your beliefs are close to your heart, this can be
painful and isolating. At best, it is hurtful or irritating; at worst,
when done consistently, it contributes to an intimidating atmosphere
where people do not feel safe to share themselves. Beliefs reflect the
core of who we are.

How little it takes to acknowledge and celebrate diversity.

When “Happy Holidays” first became the politically correct greeting, I,
too, resented it. I felt like a lifetime of celebrating the season in a
way that wove religion, spiritual perspective, and general goodwill had
been forcibly replaced by something that sounded secular and cold. It
took me a long time to get the point. We are free to “talk amongst
ourselves” in a very candid way in any homogenous group, but once we mix
it up, we have to consider the comfort of others. It’s the Golden Rule.
It’s the teaching of Jesus at his best, and I daresay of the prophets
from any number of other religions.

Inclusiveness is the epitome of Christianity. Jesus ministered to the
fringe of society—the poor, the sick, the disenfranchised. This loving
kindness and welcoming is reflected in the beliefs of many other paths
up the mountain. I appreciate that there are those who believe in their
heart of hearts that their faith is the one and only way to salvation.
But out in the world, it’s not OK with me—or a lot of other people—to
emphasize it. Religion can be even more divisive than politics and this
time of year, especially, we need to focus on the love in which we’re
all joined. There will never be peace on earth unless we learn to stand
comfortably in our beliefs while respecting each other’s unique way of
seeing things.

Lastly, we are wrong to assume that saying “Happy Holidays” is secular
or implies a person whose only interest in December is shopping and the
presents she receives. As one of my friends recently reminded me, the
word “holiday” is derived from “holy day.” You can make the winter
celebrations more ecumenical or universal, but you can’t deny their
roots. Many people would be surprised to know that the Christian holiday
traditions drew heavily from pre-existing pagan practices. The original
“Christians” were Jews before they split into two separate faiths. The
simple expression, “Happy Holidays,” has a lot more togetherness behind
it than meets the eye. The degree to which that’s true depends on the
mind and heart of the person saying it.

Let’s try a collective experiment. The next time you say “Happy
Holidays,” make it an open-minded, open-hearted outpouring of goodwill
and the only true gift anyone you can give anyone—to love them just the
way they are.

Extra! Reader Linda from Tempe, AZ shared a carol in the spirit of this message. She doesn't know the source, so if anyone else knows how to attribute it, please let me know--and I will. I'm also using it at my own Winter Solstice celebration this year.

4 comments:

This post is so close to my heart! I was born Jewish in this lifetime, to agnostic parents, and was not indoctrinated in matters of faith. As a child I developed my own relationship with God, and through school teaching also a relationship with Jesus. You are so right, I always was hurt by the contention that no one of another faith could enter heaven – I knew it could not be true! Two books proved very healing in early adulthood in this particular respect, and they were both Spiritualist. The first, which I read at 21, was “The Unbroken Link” by Rose Ling, which described the spheres of heaven, and brought back memories of pre-birth. The second, which I read a few years later, was “The World Beyond” by Ruth Montgomery, which described the surprise of people of one faith when they passed over and discovered that people of all faith were in heaven! Since childhood, if anyone has asked me my religion, I have replied “Universalism”, trying to honour all faiths and promote tolerance. The origins and source of all religions are mystical and in agreement about the truths of love and harmlessness, and the barriers between religion are artificial constructions which have arisen since. We have passed through all religions in our past lives. God created everyone, regardless of where they happened to be born. Peace to all! And a big thankyou to you.

Lana, I'm so happy to know your story and that this post touched your heart. There's a Native American expression about not judging someone until you've walked a mile in their moccasins. Maybe this holiday season, we need to put ourselves in others' shoes and simply try to understand their perspective. I think this becomes so emotionally charged because we build our lives around our beliefs, and if we encounter a different viewpoint that makes us think, we might (gulp!) have to consider changing. And we know how well most people do with that, LOL!

Because I grew up Catholic in a Jewish neighborhood, I learned to treasure aspects of both religions. That stretched me to always look for the good in every path.

Hi, Mads! I love "god jul" and may share that with the women at my Solstice gathering!

Thanks for all your good wishes. I've had an amazing 2010 full of both hard work and satisfying accomplishments, both inner and outer. It would be great to win the contest, which I visualize often. If not, having it as impetus to get my novel done is a big enough win. I plan for it to be on its way to publication in 2012, one way or another!

Radical Virgo Store

Chiron Research Wrap-Up

Joyce will be taking final anecdotes for Chiron research through the end of 2013. The pool may reopen at a later time, depending on her research needs. Please e-mail Joyce for details on how to participate.

Consultations

Joyce is not doing consultations at this time in order to focus on writing. She'd be happy to refer you to one of her talented colleagues. E-mail her for suggestions.

E-Books by Joyce Mason

Pay by PayPal, immediate download. Visit the Radical Virgo Store for all products currently available.

Astrology 101 Chart Interpretation Primer

Chart Interpretation Primer (PDF) -$4.95

Let's Connect!

What is a Radical Virgo?

To learn the characteristics of a Radical Virgo, read Joyce Mason’s article, “The Radical Virgo.” In a nutshell, these Virgos are not the old fussbudget stereotype—no Felix Ungers or Adrian Monks here. Radical Virgos have the potential to change the world through their ability to develop and discover their unique pattern, becoming true human beings—not “human doings.” Radical Virgos give service in a whole new way by contributing to their community and world what they were designed to give. When we each do that, we have made heaven on earth. It’s like having all the cogs in the great wheel of creation turning like they were just oiled!

You don’t even have to be a Virgo to be a “Radical Virgo." It helps if you have your Sun or a few other planets in the Virginal Maiden. (A Radical Virgo may be anything but virginal, as you’ll read.) If you read this article and you’ve got the spirit of this way of Self-expression, you have been radically Virginized! You don’t join this club. You recognize that you already belong.

Radical Virgo Vision

This award-winning blog is a place where all signs--not just Virgos--learn how to express the best of their star map.

Better Selves = Better World

The aim of life is self-development. To realize one's nature perfectly--that is what each of us is here for. ~ Oscar Wilde

Who is "The Radical Virgo?"

Joyce Mason has Sun in the last degree of Virgo, three planets in Libra, Taurus Rising and a Capricorn Moon. She's a "PUNC," or a person with a prominence of the outer planets Pluto, Uranus, Neptune--add bridging and healing Chiron. (See her Outerplanetary People series for more on PUNCs.) Joyce is often mistaken for an Aquarius/ Sagittarius blend. Even if you don’t speak astrology, that makes sense on some symbolic level because they both end in “ius.” She believes that I and Us are one in the same—and celebrates the human spirit in which we’re all joined.

First and foremost a writer, Joyce is also a practicing astrologer, tarot reader, dreamworker, and flower essence practitioner. Her astrological specialties are the sign of Virgo and the centaur planet, Chiron. She writes on these and many other topics. Read her complete bio and astrology articles on her Writer Joyce Mason website.

Required FTC Disclosure

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires bloggers to disclose any relationship they have between a product manufacturer or service provider, when writing about a product or service.

My guidelines on The Radical Virgo follow:

~ I am never paid to do a review. I never accept money to review a product or service. I invest my own time to review and test products. Occasionally, I will accept a free copy of a book or similar product before or after a review, but the review is not contingent on such an exchange. I review books or products only because they move me and for purposes of sharing "good finds" with my readers.

~ If I create a link to a product or service in a review, sometimes I may get paid a commission if you purchase the product or service. These links are included after the posts are written, and posts are never composed for with the intent to advertise. They’re provided primarily for your convenience, if interested in learning about a book or product mentioned. The commission merely helps offset the expenses of operating a blog.

~ No advertiser will ever influence the content, subjects, or posts made in this blog.

Any exceptions to these policies will be stated at the bottom of any post to which they apply.